Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 6, 1 Iune 1991 — Keale resigns, Hee named OHA chairman [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Keale resigns, Hee named OHA chairman

by Ed Miehelman Public Information Officer The OHA Board of Trustees elected O'ahu T rustee Clayton H. W. Hee as its new Chairman at an emergency board meeting last month on May 15. Hee's selection to head the board eame following the resignation of Moses K. Keale who read the following statement at the first of two consecutive emergency meetings held that day: "I, Moses K. Keale, Sr. am stepping aside effective immediately, as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. "A number of allegations have been made against me. To clear my name, 1 have asked for an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General. I fully expect to be cleared by any and all investigations.

"I am stepping aside because I do not want any cloud over the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. I will remain a member of the Board of Trustee and remain resolved to carry out my duties as a Trustee." The allegations referred to by Keale involve a group called "Uhaele" whieh, in 1990 sought development rights to OHA land holdings. Following his selection as Chairman, Hee spoke with Ka Wai Ola O OHA (KWO) about the change in leadership and about the future of OHA. Chairman Hee: Moses has demonstrated great leadership, encouraged by stepping aside, until this serious matter ean be resolved. By doing so he has put the organization before himself and has demonstrated his leadership in that regard. As far as the Board is concerned, we will eonhnue to move forward and deal with the matters at hand as quickly and as expeditiously, yet with the proper thought processes that need to accompany those decisions. Obviously, one of the most critical areas

that we will continue to work on is the ongoing negotiations with the State government on the retroactive monies that are owed the native Hawaiian people with its present approximate value of $120 million. So that is the first critical area that we need to continue to make progress in. Simultaneous to that, however, is the necessity for the trustees to also have the proper mechanism in mind to develop those lands whieh will be conveyed to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs as a result of the ongoing negotiations. Therefore, it's a two-pronged approach of developing those lands as quickly as possible and yet, with the proper thought processes made to insure that the development of any lands is done with the beneficiaries in mind. KWO: You talk about the retroactive package with regard to native Hawaiians. Does this include the package that I understand is currently under negotiation for Hawaiians regardless of blood quantum? Chairman Hee: The all-Hawaiian package will continued page 23

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Dancers of Halau Hula O Kukunao kala depict the tale of a battle against a mighty mo'o, at the Moloka'i Ka Hula Piko. See story page 10.

OHA Chairman Clayton Hee

Kaho'olawe

from page 1 Navy Secretary Lawrence Garrett. Staff to the commission are executive director Rodger Betts, a Maui attorney, and deputy director Velma Santos, a former Maui County councilmember. O'ahu hearing Perhaps the most diverse testimony eame from the hearing at the state capitol auditorium on Apnl 25. There, commissioners heard from branches of the military, as well as from state and county legislators, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana supporters, and the loeal business community. Testifying for Hawai'i Governor John Waihee's Office of State Planning, Norma Wong noted the commission's duties presume Kaho'olawe will be returned to the state under the provisions of Executive Order 10436. The Office of State Planning is the state's liaison to the commission, and has convened and begun to coordinate a planning committee to address interim management and long-term planning issue for Kaho'olawe. She pointed out that under Public Law 88-233, Kaho'olawe must be returned to the state of Hawai'i as part of the public trust established by Section 5(f) of the state Admission Act. Upon return of the island to the state, she said the state's options should take into account the stewardship role played by the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana, the island's condition when it is finally conveyed, planned uses for the island and who will manage those uses. According to Wong, executive order 10436 stipulates the Navy "shall, upon reasonable request of the Territory, render such area, or such portion thereof, reasonably safe for human habitation, without cost to the Territory." These terms are still open to interpretation by the state and the commission.

The Office of State Planning believes three activities are crucial in determingconditions of the island's return. First, a complete and detailed description is needed of the current physical condition of the islands and its nearshore waters. Second, a complete and detailed ordnance removal study should be done with cost and time removals by area and degrees of ordnance removal. Third, the intended use of the island upon its return should be determined. This will affect the extent of needed ordnance removal. The state's Kaho'olawe planning committee was established in Nov. 1990 and consists of representatives of OSP, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana and Maui County. Its purpose is to plan for the future of the island, using as a starting point the Kaho'olawe community plan adopted in 1982 by Maui County. Wong also noted that a study is being conducted by the National Oeeanie and Atmospheric Administration to determine whether a national manne sanctuary for humphaek whales should be established in Kaho'olawe offshore waters. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources called for multi-organizational partnerships to return the island of Kaho'olawe to the people of Hawai'i, to restore the natural resources of the island, and to protect its historical and cultural resources. To coordinate the work of these agencies, DLNR recommends a permanent "governing body" be established, composed of representatives from DLNR, Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana, the U.S. Navy, the county of Maui and the Office of State Planning. DLNR considers the key issues to be addressed in the return of Kaho'olawe to be: U.S. Navy use of the island and conveyence to the state, increased law enforcement and monitoring of the island, access for the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana, liability considerations, continuation and acceleration of re-vegetation efforts; water resource development; ordnance elean-up and human safety policies; elimination of all cloven-hoofed animals; and prevention of any further destruction of historic artifacts.

OHA rejects joint federal/military use Presenting testimony representing the official view of OHA on the return of Kaho'olawe was Trustee Moses K. Keale, Sr. Keale stated clearly "There cannot be any continued joint federal or military use . . ." of the island. OHA recommends: • the island be returned in its entirety immediately and without conditions; • that the entire island be cleared of all ordnance • that Kaho'olawe be formally recognized and planned for as a cultural resource. Serious management of the island's cultural resources ean only be achieved if military use of Kaho'olawe is permanently terminated • that a cultural resource could include a cultural learning center to be established on the island, where traditional, cultural and spiritual customs, beliefs and practices of the Hawaiian people ean be freely taught by our kupuna and be freely practiced and flourish • that Native Hawaiian religious and cultural access and gathering and fishing rights on Kaho'olawe and in the surrounding oeean be recognized and encouraged Keale said "The Navy's argument is that the bombing must continue on Kaho'olawe because there is no other location available to them for their practices. This is a weak argument. We are not and will never be convinced that other sites cannot be found." He rejected arguments that a full elean-up would be prohibitive in cost and time-consuming. "This is unacceptable," he said. He pointed out the federal government's promise to the people of Hawai'i to clear the island of any ordnance so it could be safely returned. The OHA board of trustees first adopted a resolution in 1986 to oppose continued use of the island as a bombing and gunnery exercise target. Keale noted Kaho'olawe consists of 400,000 acres of ceded land transfered to the federal government on Feb. 20, 1953 under presidential

executive order 10436. Nocompensationhasever been paid for these lands or their use, he said. Testifying in favor of continued U.S. Navy use of Kaho'olawe was Capt. Walter A. Tobias, chief of staff for the Commander, Navy Surface Group, Middle Pacific. "Kaho'olawe's importance to the military lies in the fact that it is one of the few involving ships, aircraft and ground troops, training exactly as they would operate in an actual combat environment," he said. The Navy's pnneipal use of the Kaho'olawe range has been for naval gunfire support training and aenal bombing training. Naval gunfire support means ships fire ordnance to targets ashore that are usually many miles away and not visible to the ship. This requires considerable training to achieve precision that cannot be fully replaced by simulator training, Tobias said. The nearest alternative range, he said, would be at San Clemente island off the southern California coast, although combined arms training cannot be done there. In addition, training cycles would be disrupted, he said, since an additional 14 days would need to be added for travel time. The impact of this change would be reduced overall readiness, he warned.

Tobias noted "Every amphibious landing in the Pacific in World War II saw some rehearsal at Kaho'olawe." Looking at training for Operation Desert Storm and future conflicts, Tobias said "While training was provided in the Middle East, future hostilities offer no promises for training west of Hawai'i. Combined arms training is essential to Naval and Marine Corps capability," he said. "There is no reasonable alternative to Kaho'olawe in the mid-Pacific area. Over the years the Navy has examined other proposed sites thoroughly and there is none that provides the range and depth of training whieh has been available at Kaho'olawe," Tobias said. Col. Robert L. Jackson, speaking on behalf of the U.S. Army 25th Infantry Division, said that integration of combat power from Army, Navy and Manne forces proved key to the success of Operation Desert Storm. He said Kaho'olawe is the sole area in Hawai'i and the Pacific where livefire integrated training in a realistic training situation ean be conducted. He noted that "the Army in the Pacific is scheduled to receive modern attack aircraft in the near future." However these aircraft will be unable to use the Pohakuloa training range on the island of Hawai'i due to weight and fuel limitations. "This will make Kaho'olawe ever more essential to us to maintain the readiness of our helicopter crews. In fact, without it we will not be able to realistically train continued page 16

View of central Kaho'olawe and the ordnance/impact zone. In center is circular target area.

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Tavares

DeSoto

Kaho'olawe

from page 5

with these new weapons systems in Hawai'i," Jackson said. Testimony presented by the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i military affairs eouneil stressed the role of the military in Hawai'i as the state's second largest eeonomie component after tourism, valued at $2.5 billion. A statement by Gerald M. Czarnecki, chairman of the chamber board, warned that the cumulative effect of state disputes with the military over Barking Sands, a causeway project at Ford Island, nerve gas incineration at Johnston Island and cessation of bombing at Kaho'olawe, could cause the military to review its trooD strenqths in Hawai'i.

A loss of training grounds in and around Hawai'i may result in the loss of military units in Hawai'i, by the Chamber's estimate. A loss of 10,000 resident military personnel could result in the loss of $200 million in annual payroll, compounded by loss of business in other sectors. Almost half of the state's populahon is affected in some way by the defense industry, according to Chamber of Commerce figures. The Chamber urged a compromise solution to allow access by the military for certain training activities while assuring appropriate control by the citizens of the state of Hawai'i. To be continued

New Chairman

/rom page 1

be dealt with separately from the native Hawaiian package in part because it makes it easier to conduct the negotiations. KWO: So what is the status of the all-Hawaiian i package then? Chairman Hee: The all-Hawaiian package will be dealt with separately and will occur onee the retroactive negotiations are complete. It has not been yet determined when that will be. The trustees are to be congratulated for handling this sensitive matter in the way they did and we look to a resolution whieh will primarily benefit the Office of Hawaiian Affairs as well as the beneficiaries. Hee, a former state legislator, was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 1982 and then the State Senate of 1984. As a senator, he served as the chairman of the judiciary committee and as assistant majority policy leader. As a member of House of Representatives, he served as vice-chair of the House Education committee.

A former school teacher, he taught Hawaiian language and Iectured in that subject at Maui Community College and for the state Department of Education. He also taught a variety of other subjects including ethnic studies (University of Hawai'i)), geography (Windward Community College), social studies in education (Majuro, Marshall Islands) and land tenure change in Hawai'i (University of Hawai'i). A graduate of the Kamehameha Schools where he served as student body president, Hee earned degrees in arts and sciences and Hawaiian studies (B.A. University of Hawai'i, 1975) and master's degrees in the U.H. Pacific Islands Program in 1978. In addition he was awarded a professional diploma in education by the University of Hawai'i in 1977. The new chairman, a resident of Kane'ohe on O'ahu, is the father of one son, Ka'ohukauikala'i.